Cecil Jagdath's Delectable Chef's Table
Published:Thursday | August 26, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The work of a chef is to surpass frontiers and pleasure the palate. Not only has Twisted Kilt's executive chef, Cecil Jagdath, surpassed the best of the island's culinary giants, he is now carving pieces of 'art' framed to satisfy the stomach.
Last Friday, Jagdath introduced his latest innovation, a seven-course 'Chef's Table' open flame delectable meal to a handpicked group of 10 food aficionados at the Hip Strip Gloucester Avenue restaurant in Montego Bay.
Arousing the senses with an 'Amuse Bouche' watermelon with orange Chambord viniagrette, Jagdath and his 'Taste of Jamaica' award-winning executive sous chef, Marcia Farquharson, and chef de partie, Sanika Reid, commenced a journey that lasted over two hours. There was no hurry to leave this imposingly fabulous table and no reason to miss this incredible work of art.
With the taste buds at full attention - stimulated and inspired, the chef introduced carmelised scallops, cheese ravioli and Porcini cream, paired with Caribbean Producer's Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Grogio. And even then the 10 guests at the table - most of them meeting for the very first time - hadn't realised that Jagdath had mastered the art of fine cuisine and was now ready to show his expertise.
It took the next dish, wilted spinach, warm balsamic glaze salad, topped with crumbled goat cheese and roasted pecan to show this man's immense versatility and creativity in the kitchen. The balsamic glaze gave this meal the punch and the pecan set it in motion. Coupled with Wente Sauvignon Blanc, this salad made from organically grown ingredients was one of the most unforgettable aspects of the evening.
Even the plates at the 'Chef's Table' were specially selected. For this seven-course meal, chef Jagdath partnered with Perry's Manufacturing and the Valencia, Spain-based company Poruasal, makers of the very contemporary plates. "A tool to develop the chef's creativity", was how Vincente Marin Viadel of Poruasal described the tableware.
A Bombay mango sorbet was used to cool the palate, making way for an olive oil poached lobster tail, accompanied by carrot rice cake, marinated peaches, and asparagus tips, laced with Cognac cream. The Cognac was not overpowering, the lobster was excellent and the carrot rice cake was proof that the chef's creative juices were flowing.
Pleasure and art
Next! And this was a word the appetite quickly learnt, although there was no haste to leave this scrumptious first-class dinner. Chef Jagdath and his culinary masters presented the most mouth-watering Chilean sea bass, accompanied by gnocchi fricassee and carrots, haricot verts, and finished with a melon salsa. Trapiche's Oak Coak Pinot Noir was perfect with this meal, which caused Vincente Marin Viadel to declare openly, "This is not food, this is pleasure and art and the plates are the frame."
It was insanely possible for Chef Jagdath to top the sea bass, but he surprised the diners with the tenderest part of the cow - herb crusted tenderloin, resting on Napa cabbage hash and topped with exotic oxtail ragout and laced with a jackfruit merlot infusion. A Trio Cabernet Sauvignon complemented this dish.
The evening was completed by a light, well-balanced incredibly tasty jackfruit mango cheese cake.
The Chef's Table is being offered once per month at the Twisted Kilt and can accommodate no more than an intimate group of 12 persons. Price varies and ranges between US$100 (J$8600) to $120 (J$10,320) per person, depending on the meal.